Shifting liquor shops ain't easy

More than a week ago, the state government decided to denotify about 64 state highways in the name of their further development and expansion and categorise them as other district roads.Sanjay Singh | ET Bureau | April 19, 2017, 08:11 IST

New Delhi: Following Supreme Court order banning liquor shops within 500 meters of state and national highways, Uttarakhand government is facing tough time to shift the liquor vends to suitable locations due to the protest from women particularly in the hills areas.

More than a week ago, the state government decided to denotify about 64 state highways in the name of their further development and expansion and categorise them as other district roads.The decision apparently aimed apparently aimed to compensate the state's possible loss of revenue in view of the ban order. Sources in said there are about 525 liqour shops across the state.

“More than 50% shops are affected by the ban order. It is difficult to get a suitable location for shifting the liquor shops in the hill areas,“ a source told ET. He pointed out excise is major source of income for the Uttarakhand which is debt-ridden currently. Excise department's move to shift the liquor shops has now started registering protest from the women in hill areas from almost all the districts located in the hills.

Reports reaching here from Garhwal's Rudrapayag, Chamoli, Pauri and Tehri said women have forced to shut down several liquor shops which were shifted to new locations.

“Agitators who are mainly women do not want to see any liquor shop in the close vicinity of either school or temple. And, it is difficult to get a location, which is far from temple or schools in the hills, for liquor shops,“ a source in Rudraprayag told ET.

According to him, the agitators have blocked roads at different points in the hill areas to protest excise department's move to shift he liquor shops under new situation.